CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(Monographs) 


ICIMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquas 


Ttchnical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notat  techniquat  et  bibliographiquat 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any 
of  the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming,  are 
checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il 
lui  a  M  pouibic  dc  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet 
exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-4tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue 
bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image 
reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  eiciger  une  modification 
dans  la  mithode  normale  de  f  ilmage  sont  indiqufa 
ci-dessous. 


□  Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  da  couleur 


D 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagie 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


I I  Couverture  resUurie  et/ou  pelliculte 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□  Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

□  Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
£ncre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


D 
D 


D 


□ 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr^  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  interieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  etait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  cte  filmees. 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplementaires: 


□  Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□  Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

j       I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
' !  Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicultes 

a  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dteolories,  tachaties  ou  piquees 

□  Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachi^s 

QShowthrough/ 
Transparence 


Q  Quality  of 
Qualite  ini 


D 


print  varies/ 
egale  de  I'impression 


D 


Continuous  pagination/ 
Pagination  continue 

Includes  index(es)/ 
Comprend  un  (des)  index 

Title  on  header  taken  from:  / 
Le  titre  de  I'en-ttte  provient: 


□  Title  page  of  issue/ 
Page  de  titre  de  la  I 

□  Caption  of  issue/ 
Titre  de  depart  de  la  li 


vraiton 


n 


Masthead/ 

Generique  (periodiques)  de  la  livraison 


This  Item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filme  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-dessous, 

^OX  UX  18X 


22X 


26  X 


30X 


V 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24  X 


28X 


32  X 


The  copy  filmed  h«r«  has  b««n  raproduc«d  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Victoria  University,  Toronto 
E.J.   Pratt  Library 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  eonsidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibillty 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacificationa. 


L'axamplaira  filmi  fut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
ginirositi  da: 

Victoria  University,  Toronto 
E.J.  Pratt  Library 

Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  it*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattata  da  Taxampiaira  film*,  at  ^n 
conformita  avac  las  conditions  du  contrst  da 
fiimaga. 


Original  capias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  fllmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  iliuatratad  impraa- 
sion.  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  eopias  v  filmad  beginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  iliuatratad  impraa- 
sion,  and  anding  on  tha  iMt  paga  with  a  printad 
or  iliuatratad  impraasion. 


Laa  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  aat  imprimia  sont  filmas  tn  commancant 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniira  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramiire  paga  qui  comporta  una  ampreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darniira  paga  qui  comporta  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  laat  recorded  frame  on  eech  microfiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  ^»  (meening  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Meps,  plates,  cherts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Thosn  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  ara  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  spparaitra  sur  la 
derniare  imege  de  cheque  microfiche,  seion  le 
cas:  le  symbols  ^»>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  le 
symbols  ▼  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  plenches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  itre 
filmis  A  des  taux  de  riduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichi.  il  est  film*  a  partir 
de  Tangle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  *  droita. 
at  da  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imeges  nicessaire.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithoda. 


1  2  3 


1  2  3 

4  5  6 


1.0 


1.1 


lii|2^ 

1^ 

Itt  . 

^    1^2 

1^ 

tihA 

Z     1^ 

III  2.0 

1.8 


MICROCOPY  RESOLUTION  TEST  CHART 

NATIONAL  BUREAU  OF  STANDARDS 

STANDARD  REFERENCE  MATERIAL  1010a 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


^B^ 
f- 


The  Botanic  Family  Physician 


/• 


BY 

WILLIAM    RENWICK    RIDDKLL.   LL.D..  F.  B.  S.  (E.lin),  Etc. 

TORONTO.   ONTARIO 


\. 


Reprinted  from  The  .V-w  York  McdUal  Journal  for 
September  13,   I9i3- 


h'rtnnl.-d  from    tl,.-   .V.tr    T.-rt-    M.-dhal  .lour,H,i  for 
Seflcmhi-r  i_;.  I'ti.l 


THE  botanic;  lAMlLY  PHYSICIAN. 
By  William  Renwick  Riddf.ll,  LL.D..  F.  B. 
(Edin.).  Etc.. 
Toronto,  Ontario, 


JuMuc.    Appillaic    Div.sior.   -f    the    lli«h    I   >un 


lit    Oiita' 


.1  18^2  there  was  published  at  Hamilton  Lpi-er 
Ca  Ua  a  little  vohtme  which  had  cuns.derable 
vo\ue  in  ?ts  day  ;  but  it  is  now  rarely  trnet  w,th.  and 
hat  passed  into  the  limoo  of  forgetfulness. 

At^that  time,  with  a  few  exceptions,  "o  one  could 
practise  medicine-"phys.c-;  it  ^^s  called-or  sur- 
eerv  in  Upper  Canada  without  a  license  from  the 
Srnor,  after  an  examination  before  a  med.ca 
board  appointed  for  that  purpose    And  this  was  no 
merely  a  prohibition  on  paper.    tanadian>  have  al 
wavs    had    an    awkward    way    of    insisting    upon 
obedience  to  the  •  statutes:  and  in  those  days  the> 
were  N^nt  to  hang  hor.se  thieves  and  burglars  and 
banish,  flog,  and  pillory  o'-d'"^^^^  ^^leves  and  th 
guiltv  of  less  heinous  crimes.     So  violators  of  the 
Medical  Act  did  not  escape.    I  have  before  me  the 
oroceedings  in  court  in  Aprd.  183  ,  at  York  (nou 
Conto\  when,  before  Chief  Justice  Robins^"  and 
a  iury    lackson  Harrington  was  found  guilty  of  a 
^demeanor    for    '"practising    physic    without    a 

lirense. 

There  was  nothing,  however,  to  prevent  anyone 
practising  on  himself  and  hi^  own  family,  or  ad- 
?isine  neighbors  about  their  health  so  long  as  he 
did  not  prictise  for  reward.  Accordingly,  the  little 
book  I  have  mentioned  made  its  way  mto  many  a 
home  and  was  the  vade  mecunt  of  many  a  man  xvho 
was  charitablv  interested  m  the  health  of  the  com- 
munitv.  The  New  Guide  to  Health  or  Botamc 
Famiix  Physician,  Containing  a  Complete  System 
of  Pr'actice' upon  a  Plan  Entirely  Neu;  &c.,  &c..  b> 

(,.,.>vi«ht.    .g.,1,  by  .\-   R-   K<1'""    l'"''li-.lm.K  IVnipany. 


\ 


Kiddill:    liolunu   I'imify  Physician. 

Samuel  Thomson.  Hamilton.  Printed  bv  Smith  & 
Hackstaff,  MDCCCXXXTI."  is  the  title.'  .\Fv  cpy 
was  once  the  property  of  the  Rev.  Hcnrv  Wilkin- 
son, a  well  known  Methodist  minister  and  once 
president  of  the  conference. 

Samuel   Thomson   is  claimed  as  a  son  bv  both 
Massachusetts  and  New  Hamf)shire.    He  was  born 
m  17Q,   in  territory  now  within  the  latter  State; 
but  at  that  tmie  and  till  si.x  years  later  the  Prn\  ince> 
were  under  the  same  governor.    Tiie  cointrv  was. 
as  he  tells  us,  "almost  an  howling  wilderness."  <o 
that  his  "advantages   for  an  ed-    ■'ticn    .vere   very 
small."     His  mind.  then,  was  '  ,      mckied  bv  the 
visionary       -ones   and    opinions    .f   others."'  and 
was  entirei;   free  to  follow  his  incIir.,tions  by  en- 
quiring into  the  meaning  of  the  great  varietv  of 
objects  around"  him.     He  found  man  to  be  com- 
posed of  the  four  elements- -earth,  water,  air.  and 
hre.    The  earth  and  water  were  the  solids,  the  air 
and  fire  were  the  fluids ;  the  two  fir^t  the  component 
parts,  the  last  two  kept  him  in  motion;  and  fire 
prodiicmg  heat,  Thomson  came  to  the  concln.ion 
that  heat  is  life  and  cold,  death. 

The  theory  upon  which  he  based  his  practice  of 
medicine  is  that  the  inside  of  the  bodv  should  u-'c 
ample  heat,  more  heat  than  the  outside.  If  the  i- 
side  be  allowed  to  become  cold,  "canker"  is  formed 
which  IS  the  occasion  and  cause  of  disease  He  no- 
where defines  "canker."  but  from  manv  hints 
throughout  the  volume,  he  seems  to  have  regarded 
It  as  a  coating  deleterious  in  its  effects,  whi-h 
forms  on  the  inside  of  the  stomach  and  intestines 
when  the  mside  is  allowed  to  get  coId°r  than  the 
outside,  the  "fountain  lower  than  the  stream  " 

-Heat  is  life  and  its  extinction  death,  a  diminu- 
tion of  the  vital  flame  in  every  instance  constitutes 
(  isease  and  is  an  approximation  to  death  All 
t'len,  that  medicine  can  do  in  the  expulsion  of  dis- 
order IS  to  kindle  up  the  decaying  spark  and  restore 
Its  energy.  Accordingly,  if  a  medicine  is  good  in 
any  case,  it  must  be  absolutely  so  in  all  •  if'  its  ad- 


KiddcU:    HoUinic   lamily   PhysUian. 


ministration  can  produce  the  required  eftect  m  one 
case,  it  mtist  in  all.  and  "it  is  evidently  immaterial 
what  is  the  name  or  color  of  the  diMase.  whether 
bilious,  yellow,  scarlet,  or  sprite.!,  whether  it  is 
simple  or  complicated,  or  whether  nature  has  one 
encmv  or  more."  Extensive  study  and  great  erudi- 
tion arc  not  necessary  to  form  the  eminent  phy- 
sician. Knowledge  of  the  origin  of  a  ma  ady  and 
its  antidote  make  the  rci  -line  physician;  all  without 
it  i>  real  c|u.nckcrv.  In  the  "Preface  written  by  a 
Friend."  Thomson  is  made  to  repudiate  the  deriomi^ 
nation  "quack."  but  to  accept  i at  of  '  empiric, 
one  who  =s  governed  in  hi^  j^rac'ice  h-  his  own  ex- 
perimental knowledge.  '  .omst^n  says  he  studied 
nature,   made   eN|)crim<'    s    for    tl     ty    vr  and 

now  can  OMifidcntly  re    .mmend  h;.s  sysie      is  sal  i- 
tarv  ;i-id  efficaciou-  .  i,-  . 

1  tc  entirely  disapproved  of  ••blt-eduH-  itKi  blister 
ing  and  administering  mercury,  arsenic.  '"♦■ 

monv.  opium.  &c."     But  he  also  wain^ 
vegetable    poisons    which    grow    comm 
country,  garden  hemlock,  nightshade, 
poppv.'    henbane,    poke    root,    gargei     i 
parsnip,  indigo  weed,  ivy,  dogwfM^d,  tube. 
laurel.  . 

Six,  and  onlv  six,  medicines  he  has  m  hi'- 
of  practice— "the  first  three  are  used  to  rem- 
ease,  and  the  others  as  restoratives." 

"\o    I.    To  cleanse  the  stomach,  overpuwc 
cold    and    promote    a     free    perspiration— en. 
herb."  i.  e.  Lobelia  Inflata  of  Linuc^us.    llns  take. 
bv  the  mouth  is  to  "puke  the  patient,"  and  ma    . 
prepared    for    use    in    three    different    ways:     li 
powdered    leaves   and    pods,    a   tincture    made    o 
the  green  herb,  and  the  seeds  powdered.    Thom- 
son  does   not   -ly   verv   much    in   the   lKK)k   about 
the  US'-  of  lob-lia  as  an  enema.     I  have  more  than 
once  heard  mv  old  preceptor.   Dr.  Richard   Hare 
Clarke,  of  Cobourg,  Ontario,  one  of  the  most  sue 
cessful  of  eclectics,  describe  the  marvelous  etfect- 
of  an  enema  of  hot  lobelia  seeds ;  but  even  he  gave 


nnti- 

inst 
,i> 

'  u, 
VI  Id 
and 

=cni 
lis- 


HiddfU:    Bntanic   Family  Physician, 

up  its  use  as  early  as  the  sixties.    I'homj.on  savs  No. 
I   "not  only  acts  as  an  emetic  and  throws  off  the 
stomach   everything  that   nature  dcs   tint   rciuire 
for  support  of  the  system,  but  extends  its  effects  to 
all  parts  of  the  body.     It  is  searchinjf.  enlivenini;. 
quickeiiinfr,  and  has  cfreat  power  in  removiiijj  all 
obstructions."     But  it  is  not  a  complete  cure  in  it- 
self, "it  soon  exhausts  itself,  and  if  not  follnwe.l  bv 
some  other  medicine   to   hold   the   vital    luat    till 
nafire   is   able   to  support  itself  by  dijjestinsj  the 
food.  It  will  not  be  sufficient  to  remove  a  disease 
that    has    become    seated."      What    he    means    bv 
•  seated    >  r  "settled"  he  explains  in  another  place. 
»  remismp  by  sayinj,'  that  fever  is  not  a  disease,  but 
tlu-  effect  of  disease,  the  struggle  of  nature  to  thmw 
off  disease,  he  goes  on  :  "Support  the  fever  and  it 
will  turn  mside,  the  cold  which  is  the  cause  nf  dis- 
ease will  be  driven  out.  and  health  will  be  restored, 
in  ail  ca.ses  called  fever  the  cause  is  the  same  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  and  may  be  relieved  by  one 
.general  remedy.     The  cold  causes  canker   and  he- 
tore  the  canker  is  seated  the  strife  will  take  place 
between  cold  and  heat,  and  while  the  hot  flashes 
and  cold  chills  remain,  it  is  evidence  that  the  canker 
IS  not  settled,  but  as  the  contest  ceases  and  the  heat 
IS  steady  on  the  outside,  then  canker  assumes  the 
power  on  the  inside :  this  is  railed  a  settled  fever." 
\fter  many  experiments,  he  discovered  "the  best 
and  only  medictie"  so  to  hold  the  vital  heat;  and 
this  he  calls  "No.  2.  To  retain  the  internal  vital  heat 
of  the  system  and  cause  a  free  perspiration  "    This 
is  made  of  cayenne.    He  had  tried  ginger,  mustard, 
horseradish,  peppermint,  butternut  bark,  and  many 
other  hot  things,  but  settled  down  finallv  on  cayenne 
povvdered  and  administered,  half  to  a  teasnoonful 
in  hot  water.     He  adds  "a  teaspoonful  of  Cayenne 
may  be  ta.,..,  in  a  tumbler  of  Cider  and  is  much 
better  than  ardent  spirits."    (Of  cour>e.  de  ^ustihus 
no>,  est  d,spuUmdiim.)     If  cayenne  cannot  be  ob- 
tained, red  peppers,  ginger,  or  even  black  pepper, 
may  be  employed  as  a  substitute. 


Hiddrll     n.'tami-    /  <">"'.v   I'hysuian. 

TV,,  next  is  "No    V    To  scour  the  Stomach  and 
The  next  is     i^"-  .v     *      ,      .•  •   ,.    "(..r  reniov- 

Si'f  bv'cold;  and  .her.  >ull  be  mo,.;  ..j  >«  "^t 
in  all  casts  or  distaJ«^   [°I''  T.   ..^niach    ..n.l 

nnd  drv  it  is  brd  and  .hould  be  av^o<ded  The 
root  o  Vhe  bavberrv  or  candleberry  the  root  of  the 
vhltc  pond  liiy.  the  inner  bark  or^-^^^f^-  '^, 
rr,„t  of  the  marsh  ros^eniary  the  eaves  o  n 
•'witihha/ei;'  of  the  red  raspberry,  both  root  an  i 
tf  n  o    the    cnunv  weed,  are  all  recommended,  but 

-,;?rttJ?S4u^rn?...^f;^du.n.s 

--^r-tftt:riti.^r^^^^ 

dizziness   in   anotlier   sense   of   the    word      ^oou. 
Thi>;  fact  Thomson  docs  not  mention. 
^  "Xo   4      Bitters  to  cr  rect  the  Bile  and  restore 
Di-esdon"    Thomson     arns  us  agamst  suppo^ns 
Sat  the  bile  or  ,all  is  an  enemy  in  case  of  s.cknes^. 
There  is  no  such  thine:  as  too  much  gall.        The 
ifficultv  i.  caused  by  the  stomach  bevng  cold  an 
iZ.  so  that  the  food  i.  not  Prop^'-'y  d.ge    ed   and 
the  bile,  not  being  appropriated  to  .ts  "J  ^^    "2; 
is  diflfused  throuRh  the  pores  of  the  ^kin,  wniui 
becomes  of  a  vellow  color    .    .    ..    the  only  way  to 
effecTa  cure  is  to  promote  persp  ration,  cleanse  the 
Stomach    and  restore  the  digestive  powers;  which 
wmcause  the  bile  to  be  used  for  the  purpose  nature 
SenS '•    He  recommends  bitter  herb  or  balmony, 
po7ar  hark   (either  of  the  white  or  the   stinking 


K 


Riddcll:   Botanic  Family  Physician 

stones  are  almost  as  id- and ?"?^  ^"1  ^^f^" 

ani  one'which'frnot'vet'  ^""TT'^  Preparations. 
"No.  6.    Kumatfc  nrnnJ"''"  forgotten,  was  his 

mortificatio!;rTnd'pr?Srrn\ra7ht^?"^^^^^^ 

of  light  wines^one  Do»nT°/  ^''"^>''  ^'^  ^"^  kind 
fine.  Sne  ounce  of  «ve„n.^T'  '"•>""''^  P^""^^^ 
and  boil  f or ^  7  *^^y^?"«;  put  them  in  a  stone  jug 

leaving  !hf^„^  „':;i„S"!?'  ■•'?„;  S'  f  "f 

?eSaKESS3£r^ 

of  common  size  mav  h^  aff^  !  j      •  .    '*^"  ^  family 
time."  is  thus  tabul'ied         ''''^  "^''^  ^"""^  that 

I  pound  of  ginger 
tJJ!"""'  °^  **"  rheumatic  drops  (No.  6) 
Thomson  strongly  approved  of  steaming,  indeed. 


Kiddell:  Botanic  Family  Physician. 


even  his  "system  would  in  many  cases  without  it  be 
insufficient  to  effect  a  cure."  His  method  was  to 
take  two  or  three  stones  and  put  them  m  the  tire 
till  red  hot,  then  put  them  into  a  pan  or  kettle  of 
hot  water;  the  patient,  undressed,  with  a  blanket 
around  him.  is  placed  over  the  steam,  preferably  on 
an  "open  worked  chair."    1  he  stone^  are  renewed 

when  cool.  .      .    . 

The  medicines  are  not  to  be  given  ir.discnminate- 
ly.  "A  regular  course  of  medicine"  is  as  follows: 
"First  give  Xos.  2  and  3,  or  composition,  adding 
a  teaspoonful  of  No.  6.  then  steam,  and  when  in 
bed  repeat  it;  adding  No.  i,  which  will  clean  the 
stomach  .  .  .  when  this  has  done  operating,  give 
an  injection  made  with  the  same  articles  .  .  .  m 
violent  cases  where  immediate  relief  is  needed  Nos. 
I,  2,  3,  and  6  may  be  given  together."  No.  4  and 
No.  5  are  for  special  cases. 

Although  these  six  medicines  are  all  that  are 
needed,  Thomson  gives  the  qualities  of  a  large 
number  of  native  plants— valerian,  a  nerve  powder, 
spearmint  to  stop  vomiting,  peppermint  and  penny- 
roval  to  promote  perspiration,  summersavory  for 
toothache,  hoarhound  and  elecampane  for  coughs, 
mavweed  for  a  cold,  tanzy  and  featherfew  for 
hvs'terics.  chamomile  for  bowel  complaints,  bitter- 
sweet, mullein,  and  burdock  for  plasters,  skunk 
cabbage  for  asthma,  wakerobin  for  colic,  slippery 
elm  bark  for  sore  throat,  ginseng  for  nervous 
affection,  chivers,  snakeroot,  mustard,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 
Many  of  these  are  still  popular  remedies. 

Not  all  his  science  is  to  be  found  in  this  hand- 
book; he  had  a  system  of  midwifery  and  surgery. 
But  all  who  wished  to  understand  these  "must  pur- 
chase the  right"  which  sometimes,  at  least,  cost 
"twenty  silver  dollars,"  and  "all  who  purchase  the 
right  may  receive  the  necessary  verbal  instruction 
to  enable'them  to  do  all  that  is  required  in  the  prac- 
tice of  midwifery,  as  well  as  to  be  able  to  become 
their  own  physician  and  surgeon  at  a  trifling  ex- 
pense."    That  some  in  Upper  Canada  purchased 


Riddell:   Botanic  Family  Physida,.. 

tain.     .Vor  is  °Ls  rE''';^^^'^^''""  '=  ''?;>  «- 
taking  five  mTam   oft.     T^  "'"'"'  "  fc"  d'vs. 

"?hi'i.r"  'r'='  ^"''  !•-  """arte'"" ''"' 

tend  Ezra  LoveU    Jr".  ^'  ^f  ''Z  ^^"^^  *«  at- 
come  to  that  town  ^h"       ^'^^f-'^'^y-  Mass.     He  had 

said  had  tch^Zt^'d  tK"fs  ofT=  ^"h*^  '^  ■^ 
which  he  called  hv  <=„ 'u       "  "  °*  """"edicmes. 

"coffee,"  -^vel  mvlri  S''^^'"''^'"^''^'  "^"^^^  ^^ 

doses  within  half  an  hn.      1^""^  ^^^"^t,  all  three 

drinking  copS;"o'7he  '"c'oSe '"^  T'r'''' 
proved  to  be  an  infusion  n^f  u     '      which    was 

with  bayberrv  Lrk  •  e  VoT  Th'"''"'"'"^  '"'"^^'^ 
next  he  was'  dosed  with  tuL  ^'  ^^  "^'^^  ^»y  and 
on  the  followine  da2  2  ^^^  '^"^^  medicines,  and 
two  davs  the  doftor    id  noT'/n  '^'"V"^-     '^^'  "^^^ 

'owing  da,  he  ad:n"[n;^;:.;?^r;;n^d"kr  i^i^ 


Riddcll:  Botanic  Family  riiysician. 

and  also  the  next  day.     The  patient  was  now  in 
great  distress,  and  when  the  doctor  asked  hini  how 
far   down  the   medicine   had   got,  and   he   replied 
down  to  the  breast,  the  doctor  assured  hini  that  it 
would  soon  get  down  and  unscrew  his  navel.     Ihe 
following  day  the  natient  became  delirious  and  vio- 
lent, but  the  doctor  got  one  or  two  doses  of  lobelin 
down  his  throat,  telling  the  patient  s  tather  that  h.s 
son  had  got  the  "hvps  like  the  devil,    but  that  his 
medicines  would  fetch  him  down.    The  next  morn- 
ing the  regular  phvsicians  were  called  in,  b"t  cou  d 
do  nothing  for  the  unfortunate  who  died  shortly 
afterward.      Thomson    was    indicted    tor    murder 
and  tried  on  December  20  at  Boston,  before  Lhiet 
Justice   Parsons  and  Justices   Sewall   and  Parker, 
and  a  jury.    It  was  proved  that  the  death  was  due 
to  the  treatment  which  Lov.-tt  had  received,  and 
the  prosecuting  counsel  stated  that  the  prisoner  had 
administered  like  medicines  to  others  who  had  died 
in  his  hands.    The  onlv  witness,  however,  who  ap- 
peared, swore  that  he  had  taken  the  emetic  niedi- 
cines  as  the  prisoner's  patient  several  time-  in  two 
or  three  days,  and  was  relieved  permanentlv  of  lu^ 
complaint,    "an  oppression  at   his   stomach    :   ami 
there  was  no  evidence  that  in  the  course  of  his  very 
novel   practice   the   pri-oner   had   experienced   any 
fatal  accident  among  his  patients.     He  was  accord- 
in'^lv  acciuitted.    The  curious  will  find  a  tairly  full 
account  of  the  case  in   No.  6.  Massachusetts  Re- 
ports, p   1 S4-    The  followers  of  Thomson  boast  that 
he  was  acquitted  without  being  called  on   for  his 
defence.     The  fact,  however,  i^^  that  he  owed  his 
safety  to  the  charge  of  the  chief  justice,  that  if  the 
medicine  was  administered  with  an  honest  intention 
to  cure,  however  ignorant  the  prisoner  might  be  of 
medical  science,  he  should  not  be  found  guilty. 

Thomson  continued  to  practise  in  Massachusetts 
for  many  years,  and  died  in  1843.  I  cannot  find 
ihat  he  ever  came  in  person  to  Canada. 

There  is  no  trace  in  this  volume  of  some  extra- 
ordinary views  attributed  to  him  by  some  medical 


RiddeU:  Botanic  Family  Physician. 
e^'r^f Sivef  af^eH-  '^'"''^'^  ''^^  ^"  the  earth      ,„ 

up  and  awav  from  the  ear'fh!^-^?  P'*"*^  ^^ow 
vegetable  kingdom  must  ?.?'  '"*^*^'^'n^s  from  the 
keep  him  from  th^  ^rave.  "^  ^^^  P^^^^"^  a"^' 

OsGooDE  Hall. 


